In various settings, examination of biological specimens is required for diagnostic purposes. Generally speaking, pathologists and other diagnosticians collect and study samples from patients, and utilize microscopic examination, and other devices to assess the samples at cellular levels. Numerous steps typically are involved in pathology and other diagnostic process, including the collection of biological samples such a blood and tissue, processing the samples, preparation of microscope slides, staining, examination, re-testing or re-staining, collecting additional samples, re-examination of the samples, and ultimately the offering of diagnostic findings. Numerous medical or veterinary personnel may be involved in the diagnostic processes, including surgeons, phlebotomists or other operating personnel collecting samples, pathologist, histologists and other personnel processing, transporting and examining the samples and so on. The complexity of the tissue handling procedures from operating theatre to laboratory and back to diagnosticians or surgeons have become increasingly complex in large medical environments where high volumes of samples need to be handled, processed and examined on a daily basis.
Various steps of the tissue handling procedures have been automated using instruments each of which typically are controlled by a dedicated computer or an on-board computerized controller. In some laboratories, information can be shared between automated instruments and/or a networked laboratory or hospital information system, such as to store patient or tracking data. One example of an automated instrument is an automated tissue processing system in which biological samples are fixed and infiltrated with paraffin in an automated fashion. Such a tissue processing systems are the TISSUE-TEK® VIP™ and the TISSUE-TEK® XPRESS® processing systems available from Sakura Finetek U.S.A., Inc. of Torrance, Calif.
Another example of automation is an automated microscope slide coverslipper, which applies coverslips to microscope slides in an automated fashion. An example of such an automated coverslipper is the TISSUE-TEK® SCA™ coverslipper available from Sakura Finetek U.S.A., Inc. of Torrance, Calif. A further example of automation in laboratories is an automated microscope slide stainer, in which various stains, other reagents and washes are automatically applied to batches of microscope slides. An example of such an automated slide stainer is the TISSUE-TEK® DRS™ stainer system available from Sakura Finetek U.S.A., Inc. of Torrance, Calif.
Despite the assistance of automated instruments, pathologists, other diagnosticians and laboratory personnel typically must be involved in numerous steps during the processing and examination of biological samples. For example, once a sample has been stained, the sectioned stained sample on a microscope slide typically is physically examined under a microscope. This typically involves transport of the microscope slide to a diagnostician who is located outside the laboratory, or in other cases may involve a diagnostician going to the laboratory to examine the microscope slide. Following this initial examination step, the diagnostician evaluates whether additional testing is required. Such additional testing might involve collecting further samples from a patient, or further testing of samples already collected. For example, the diagnostician may require that the existing sample be sectioned further and a different staining regimen or other protocol be applied. This can result in iterations of one or more of collection, grossing, processing, infiltration, embedding, sectioning, coverslipping, staining, examination etc. All of this can result in time delays, as well as tissue impairment. Following the iterations of additional tests and procedures, the pathologist repeats the examination process, and may then request still further tests in an iterative fashion until an ultimate finding is reached. Even with automated instruments in these processes, there are numerous transport, and human interventions required.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system and method of biological specimen processing and examination that increases automation and accuracy involved in automation, reduces the amount of transport of processed specimens in the examination process, and reduces lag times, inconvenience and potential for degradation involved in iterative diagnostic and processing steps. Moreover there is a need for increased speed in these processes to enhance diagnosis and treatment.